APK explained: the Dutch periodic car inspection

The APK (Algemene Periodieke Keuring) is the mandatory periodic vehicle inspection in the Netherlands, comparable to the British MOT or the German TÜV. If you drive a Dutch-registered car, it must be inspected on time, and you as the registered keeper are responsible for that, even with a private lease or a car you only just bought.

This page covers the basics for newcomers and expats: when your car is due, what the inspection costs, what happens if your APK expires and how to check your expiry date online in under a minute.

What is the APK?

The APK has existed since 1985 and is based on European rules, currently directive 2014/45/EU. It is a safety and environmental check: brakes, tyres, lights, suspension and emissions are inspected. It is not a maintenance service, so things like the oil level or the timing belt are not part of it.

The result is registered digitally in the national vehicle register of the RDW, the Dutch road authority. You do not need to carry a paper report in the car; the police check the register.

When is your car due?

The schedule depends on the fuel type:

• Petrol, electric and hydrogen: the first APK is due 4 years after first registration, then twice every 2 years, then every year (the 4-2-2-1 schedule).
• Diesel and LPG: the first APK is due 3 years after first registration, then every year (3-1-1).

The APK is valid up to and including the expiry date itself, so you may still drive on that day. You can also have the car inspected up to 2 months before the expiry date without losing your old date. Keep in mind that the government does not send you a reminder automatically; some garages do, but not all.

What does an APK cost?

There is no official rate and no legal maximum, so prices vary per garage. As a rough guide, a standard APK costs about 25 to 50 euros for a petrol car and about 45 to 70 euros for a diesel; the diesel test is more expensive because of the particulate measurement. Repairs, if any are needed, always come on top of that.

What happens if your APK expires?

There is no grace period. From the first day after the expiry date you can be fined, and you do not need to be pulled over for that: the register is checked automatically and the fine from the CJIB, the Dutch collection agency, simply arrives by post. This also applies to a car that is only parked on a public road.

There is one exception: on the day of the inspection you may drive the car without a valid APK, directly to and from the inspection station, provided you can prove you have an appointment.

How to check your APK expiry date

Checking your date is free and takes less than a minute:

1. Go to the APK check.
2. Enter your Dutch licence plate (kenteken).
3. You immediately see the date your APK expires.

You do not need an account and the data comes straight from the official RDW register, so the date you see is current.

Where can you get your car inspected?

Any RDW-licensed garage can carry out the APK, from small independent workshops to dealers. That also goes for electric cars, including a Tesla, although experience with EVs is a plus. The inspection itself takes about 30 to 45 minutes and the garage registers the result digitally, so it is visible in the register almost immediately. You can find licensed garages near you via the garage finder.

Imported car or foreign inspection?

A foreign inspection such as the MOT or the TÜV does not count as a Dutch APK. Once a car is imported and registered in the Netherlands, it follows the Dutch inspection schedule. You can read more about this in importing a car: inspection and registration (in Dutch).

Check your date now

Not sure when your car is due? Look it up for free in the APK check; all you need is the licence plate. Prefer to read this in Polish? See APK w Holandii.